*Says this is pay back time for Wase
*Betara vows to run even if position is not zoned to N’East
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
Former Acting National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Yobe state, Mai Mala Buni, has thrown his weight behind the ambition of the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase, to run as Speaker ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June, this year.
This is coming just as another aspirant for the speakership position, Hon Muktar Betara, has vowed to fight on even if the position is not zoned to his north east geo-political region.
Governor Buni who spoke on Wednesday while receiving Wase and his campaign team in Abuja said:”We in the APC and indeed the House of Representatives need you more than you need us because there is no better time for us in the party to pay you back for your loyalty than now.
“Experience is not studied in the university; it evolves from institutional participation and enthrenched ideas which you already have. For us, we know you will work based on experience because you are prepared more than any other.
“You didn’t need to come, I will work for you because to whom much is given, much is expected. You listened to us and stepped down when I was National Secretary even before the President, he knew about it and it is now time for us to reciprocate that your gesture; someone must step down down for you this time around”, the Yobe governor said.
On his part, Betara, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his campaign group, Betara National Patriotic Mandate, said he was aware of “deft moves” by some influential leaders in the APC to zone the North-East out of the speakership race.
The statement signed by the national coordinator of the group, Mallam Maigari Al- Amin said: “We are watching the events that are going on and we can see that some influential leaders are making deft moves to zone the Northeast out the Speakership race and hereby say that our principal, Betara, Insha Allah shall become the Speaker because nobody can cow us and even convince us to stop this project. We shall fight on and win whether the party zones to North east or not.
